“Making a Monsta”
Like the 808 bass of a West Coast rap song, Richmond rapper HugoMonster comes stomping down your street and into your living room, shattering windows and egos.
Raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, HugoMonster grew up focused on the success of school, work, and love only to discover a life’s worth of obstacles boxing him in. Instead of becoming a maladjusted, cold-hearted creature, a persona began to form inside of Hugo, eventually taking a life on its own as rap tyrant HugoMonster.
With a light-hearted yet curt voice, the Monster’s words have found their placepenetrating through tweeters and into music venues—revitalizing audiences.
Born in impoverished Central America, HugoMonster moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in his early childhood, assimilating and immersing himself in the pop culture of American youth. Inspired by the liveliness and sincerity of outspoken rapper Tupac Shakur, he began writing poetry and lyrics in the late ’90s.
Hugo’s dissatisfaction with mainstream music at the time, as well as his admiration of underground battle rapper Canibus, sprouted into a plethora of works which he distributed under the alias MC Huey in the early millennium.
A few years later, Hugo went on to pique the interest of fellow friends and artists, and was dubbed HugoMonster after his dominant physique, brusque rap style, and a facial operation that permanently altered the artist’s face and voice. After releasing his debut album “Unleashed” in 2006 and winning the hearts of locals with his ‘Boogie Hugie’ style, he collaborated with fellow Richmond rapper BreakaDawn Juan for the wrestling themed album
In 2013, he decided to release a series of solo EPs beginning with “Hugo the Ugly”, entirely produced by long-time collaborator Charlie Giant and featuring the call-and-response styled video “Death by Pupusa.” A few years later, Hugo went on to pique the interest of fellow friends and artists, and was dubbed HugoMonster after his dominant physique, brusque rap style, and a facial operation that permanently altered the artist’s face and voice. After releasing his debut album “Unleashed” in 2006 and winning the hearts of locals with his ‘Boogie Hugie’ style, he collaborated with fellow Richmond rapper BreakaDawn Juan for the wrestling themed album “Off The Top”. In 2013, he decided to release a series of solo EPs beginning with “Hugo the Ugly”, entirely produced by long-time collaborator Charlie Giant and featuring the call-and-response styled video “Death by Pupusa.”
In 2015, Hugo toured the Southwest in support of his second EP, “Monrocks”, highlighted by his introductory banger “G.G.T. (God-Given Talent)”. He would go on to open for such acts as Locksmith of Frontline fame, and legendary artists Del The Funky Homosapien and East Coast duo Artifacts.
In 2018, HugoMonster is switching gears with the help of Berkeley-based producer, Noah Boa, in hopes of capturing a true image of himself and hip hop music as it currently stands, and paying less attention to the everlasting comparisons and superlatives. “Carry On” is now available online with its accompanying single and video “TV Is Dead”.